Carton for bottles



Jan.l1l, 1944. G. N. I EEl CARTON FOR BOTTLES Filed April 7, 1941 ZShQGLS-Sheet 1 INVENTOR G50/P65 /V L55 ATTO R N EY Jan. 11, 1944. G. N. L EE CARTON FOR BOTTLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7, 1941 {OMT} (www INVENTOR G50/P65 /V ff ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 1l', 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT oF'FlcEaV CARTON FOR'BOI'ILES George N. Lee, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to Brett Lithograpliing Co., Long' Island City, N. Y.

Application April i, 1941, semi No. 387,173'

(ci. zza-2s) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to vholders orcontainers for bottles, and while capable of general use, is more particularly adapted for embodiment in a holder or container that may be employed separately from a, carton, or in association therewith, to hold bottles of wine or other beverages for display and sales purposes.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide bottle containers constructed to hold bottles in spaced relation therein for display, handling, sales and shipping purposes. It has further been proposed, heretofore, to provide bottle containers made of cardboard, or other suitable materialy and having bottle spacing means incorporated therein as separate elements or of integral formation with blanks from which the containers are made. While spacing of the bottles in these known containers has been attained with more or less efficiency, retention of the bottles against accidental displacement, and resulting breakage,

has presented a problem not heretofore eiliciently solved because of construction of the spacing means in a manner presenting liability f the bottles to shift out of said means during handling of the containers. Further, when these known containers have been made of a single blank of material, the blank has been of complicated construction, and in formation of its component parts, considerable waste of material has resuited.

Accordingly, the principal object of the presentinvention is to provide a bottle holder of improved construction, which overcomes the above mentioned defects and disadvantages, through a highly eillcient formation of the bottle retaining means. i

Another object oi the present invention is to provide a bottle holder of improved construction made, without waste, from a single blank of material incorporating the bottle spacing means therein, and foldable to automatically position said means for reception of the bottles.

Another object of the present invention isto provide a bottle holder of improved constructionin the form of a tray or container yieldable for reception of .the bottles in the retaining means, and thereafter maintaining said means engaged with the bottles.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a carton having a holder for bottles therein associated therewith to form a novel gift package and constructed to facilitate ready removal of the holder and bottles from the carton, as well as to prevent accidental displacement, and

breakage of the bottles when they are positioned in the holder.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, is illustrated one form of an embodiment of the invention, in which drawings similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton broken away to show a bottle holder therein, a bottle in the holder, and means on `said holder for spacing and retaining bottles therein;

Figure 2 is a transverse horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows;

Figure- 3 is a. vertical sectional viewA on line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figue 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the bottle holder, showing a bottle in po sition to be engaged in bottle-neck retaining means of said holder:

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, I`nut showing the bottle in position of being engaged with the. bottle-neck retaining means;

.Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 5, but showing the bottle in position after it has been engaged with said bottle-neck retaining means; and,

Figure 7 is a plan view of a cut, scored and slotted blank, from which the bottle holder is made. v

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l (Figures 1, 2 and 3) indicates broadly a carton having a removable bottle holder therein which will later be described in detail. The carton I is of standard construction and made of a single 'blank of cut, folded and set up in a proper manner. .The carton 8 has a, front wall 9, a rear wall I0, side walls ll and I2, and a bottom wall Il. The rear wall I0 is provided with a sealing flap IB' (Figure 2) I secured to the side wall I2 The side walls II and I2 are provided at the tops with flaps cardboard or other. adaptable material, scored,

I1 which, in closing the A flaps I4 and I5. In closing the carton these bottom end naps are folded inwardly and the bottom wall I 3, which constitutes a closureflap, is folded over the bottom end naps. The bottom wall I3 is provided with an upturned'ilap I3' (Figure 3) which, in closing the carton, is tucked between the bottom end aps and the carton wall I0.

The bottle holderis made of a single blank of cardboard or other preferred material and is of the general 'form shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. This blank is cut, scored and slotted to form a main rear wall I3 having lower locking tabs I9, upper panel locking tabs 2i, side Wall panels 2| and 22, a base wall 23 and an upper end wall 24. The side walls 2| and 22, of'the container when it is set up, are provided on the lower ends with flaps 25 and 26. The side wall panels 2| and 22 are provided at the upper ends with flaps 21 and 28. 'I'he lower end wall panel 23 is providedwith an intermediate panel 29 which, in turn, is provided with a lower terminal panel 3l. The panels 29 and 30 are cut to produce spacers 3| each having opposite edges 32 curved in conformity with the shape of the containers to be placed in the holder.

The upper end wall panel 24 is provided with a terminal panel 33 having spaced elliptical openings 34. 'Ihe panel 33, in turn, is provided with a narrow panel 35.v Score lines between the several panels and other described parts of the blank are indicated in dot and dash lines in Figure 7, of the drawings, and said panels and parts may be folded or bent relatively along said score lines in setting up the bottle holder. Accordingly, when setting up the bottle holder the side wall forming panels 2i and 22 are turned towards the front at a right angle to the wall I8, and the end flaps 25, 26, and 21, 23 are turned inwardly at a right angle to the side walls 2! and 22 The end w-all forming panel 23 is then turned at right angles to the rear wall i8, the intermediate panel 29 is folded downwardly over the end iiaps 25 and 26, and the terminal panel 30 is folded at right angles to the panel 29 and engaged under the locking tabs i9, all as cleariy shown in Figures l, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The end wail 24 is turned forwardly at right angles to the rear wall I8, the terminal panel 33 is folded over the end fiaps 21 and 23, downwardly and inwardly at an angle, and the narrow panel 35 is folded at a slight angle to the panel 33 and engaged under the locking tabs 29.

When the panels 29 and 30 are folded and locked, as described, the spacers 3i are automatically distended or sprung outwardly from said and dash line indicates the normal position of the folded edge between panel 33 and the end wall 24, and in that ligure it will be noted that said folded edge and the end wall 24 are bulged or sprung outwardly beyond said line, due to partial entry of the bottle neck portion 39 and cap or closure 40 into the opening 34 when said cap or closure is pressed against the panel 33.

As shown in Figures 1 and 6, the neck portion 39 and cap 40 of the bottle have been forced completely through the opening 34, and the panel 33 and the end wall 24, as well as the panel 29 and the end wall 23, have sprung back to their normal positions. It will thus be noted that the bottle cannot be accidentally dislodged from position in the holder, and that outward pressure on opposite ends of the holder is necessary to remove the bottle therefrom. This is accomplished without dilculty, when it is desired to remove the bottle from the holder.` Another bottle may be placed in the holder between the side wall 22 and the spacer 9| Lnearest, thereto, and the neck portion and cap or closure 40 of said bottle forced through the opening 34, nearest said side wall in the same manner as described in connection with the first bottle. Similarly, two additional bottles may be placed in the holder with their bases between the outer and inner spacers 3| and their neck. portions and caps in the two intermediate openings 34. The described order of placing the bottles in the holder need not be adhered to since the same is merely for descriptive purposes and it is obvious that the bottles could be placed in their spacing and retaining means in the holder in any desired order.

After the bottles have been placed in the holder, said holder with the bottles therein may be inserted in the carton 8, which is then closed through the medium of the described closure flaps thereon. In this case the iilled carton 'constitutes a desirable sale package, particupanels into the operative positions thereof shown in Figure l of the drawings, wherein it will be noted that extensions 36 of the spacers fold at right angles thereto along the score lines shown in Figure 7 of the drawings. When the panels 33 and 35 are folded and locked, the major axes .of the elliptical openings 34, due to predetermined formation of said openings, extend in the direction of inclination of the panel 33.

The bottle holder having been set up, bottles 31, herein 'shown as circular in cross-section and having base portions 38, neck portions 39 and caps or closures 4I| on the ends of said neck portions, may be placed in said holder and retained therein in spaced relation to prevent accidental displacement. As herein shown, four containers may be placed in the holder. The base portion 33 of one bottle is positioned between the side wall 2| and the spacer 3| nearest; thereto so that larly for purposes of a gift. For display, sales and handling purposes it is not necessary to employ a carton in conjunction with the holder, and it is therefore to be expressly understood that'the invention is not limited to usev of a carton with the holder or otherwise, than by the` 'Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A bottle holder comprising a. single rectangular blank, scored, sheared and organized to form a main rear wall, a bottom wall doubled upon itself to constitute an intermediate panel and having an upright terminal panel juxtaposed against the rear wall, means' integral with said rear wall to retain said terminal panel thereagainst, said intermediate panel being sheared to provide a straight row of raised rigid spacing means distended into operative position upon complete organization, a top wall extending from said rear wall parallel to said bottom wall, an inclined panel extending downwardly and rearwardly from the front edge of said top wall. said side walls ioldable forwardly therefrom, and

end wall panels, respectively upper and lower,

foldable from the rear wall, over the end flaps,

'the lower of said end wall panels having an intermediate panel and a terminal panel extending from the lower panel sheared to produce bottle spacing means, said intermediate panel being bent downwardly from the lower end wall panel over its end flaps, and said terminal panel being bent outwardly over the rear wall from the intermediate panel, said spacing means becoming distended into operative position from the intermediate and terminal panels upon setting up, and an inclined panel extending from the upper end wall panel downwardly and rearwardly over its end iiaps to said rear wall, said inclined panel being provided with openings to receive the upper ends of bottles placed in the holder in engagement with said spacing means.

3. A bottle holder comprised of a single blank of material cut, scored and set up to provide a rear wall, side walls, end flaps on the side walls folded inwardly therefrom, and end wall panels folded up from the rear wallexteriorly of the end aps, respectively upper and lower, said lower flap being characterized by an intermediatel panel and a terminal panel extending from the lower end wall panels, eut to provide one or more bottle spacing means formed of material of both extending panels, said intermediate panel being bent downwardly from said lower end wall panel toward the same over its end flaps, .and said terminal panel being bent outwardly over the rear wall from the intermediate panel, the spacing means being distended to operative position from the intermediate and terminal panels upon setting up, and an inclined panel on the upper of said end wall panels extending at an angle toward said rear wall, said inclined panel being provided with openings adapted to receive'the neck ends of bottles placed in the holder in engagement with said spacing means, the end wall panels being sprung outwardly when the bottles are being engaged with the spacing means and the openings, said end wall panels thereafter springing inwardly to retain the bottles against accidental disengagement from said spacing means and said openings.

4. A bottle eartonliaving a removable bottle holder therein made of a single blank ci material cut, scored and set up to provide a main rear wall having upper and lower panel locking tabs near its opposite margins and upper and lower panels extending from said margins, said lower panel having an intermediate panel and a terminal panel extending from the lower panel of the holder and provided with bottle spacing means formed of material of said lower extending panels, said intermediate panel being folded inwardly from said rear wall and said terminal panel being bent outwardly from the intermediate panel and engaged under the lower locking tabs, the spacing means being distended to operative position from the intermediate and terminal panels upon setting up, and an inclined panel extending downwardly and inwardly from the upper Wall panel of the holder toward the rear wall and having a portion engaged under the upper locking tabs, the inclined panel being provided witlr openings adapted to receive the neck ends of bottles placed in the holder in engagement with said spacing means.

GEORGE N. LEE. 

